Known as a processing method for plastically deforming a semiconductor crystal body (typified by a Si-based crystal body or a Ge-based crystal body) is a processing method disclosed in Patent Document 1 (Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2005-142370).
According to the processing method disclosed in Patent Document 1, a semiconductor crystal body, such as a Si-based crystal body or a Ge-based crystal body, is heated to a temperature equal to or higher than a temperature having a plastic deformation capacity and lower than the melting point, and then a load is applied thereto using a pressurizing tool to subject the same to rolling processing or bending processing for plastic deformation. For example, the crystal body and the pressurizing tool in the case of a Si crystal body, are heated to a temperature of 1050° C. or higher and lower than 1414° C., and then a load is applied thereto for processing. In the case of a Ge crystal body, for instance, the crystal body and the pressurizing tool are heated to a temperature of 600° C. or higher and lower than 917° C., and then a load is applied thereto for processing.
In contrast, an electric discharge sintering method for a powder material is known which includes applying a pulse-like high current under pressurization to rapidly increase the temperature of the material by a self heat generation phenomenon for sintering. For example, Patent Document 2 (Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 3-56604) discloses a method including charging a powder material into a metallic mold containing a punch and a die, pressuring the same at a pressure of 5 to 30 T/cm2, and then applying a 350 A/cm2 pulse-like current at a cycle of 300 Hz to 30 kHz to rapidly increase the temperature of the material to 800 to 1000° C. by a self heat generation phenomenon for compression baking. Patent Document 2 describes that the temperature of a sintered compact can be increased to about 3000° C. in about 1 to 3 minutes, as required.